Page 10 of Textbook Defense

Jordy tipped his head in agreement, and Gem asked, “Oh?”

“Well, it’s not like we wanted to be each other’s fake date for no reason.”

“Of course not. That would be weird,” Gem agreed dryly.

“Exactly. The thing is, we were both trying to avoid someone?”

Gem narrowed her eyes. “Are you telling me that you haven’t made nice with the very rich man who is likely to double his donation tonight after hearing you talk about children in need and good public works that help improve their lives?”

Rowan groaned. This was why he always ended up talking to the man and why he let Gem talk him into these things. Because she wasn’t wrong. If Rowan could get a few thousand dollars more for a good cause by suffering through a couple of hours of terrible small talk… well, shouldn’t he?

“You are an evil harpy and I hate you,” he sighed.

Gem patted his cheek consolingly. “I forgive you.”

That was way too easy. Rowan narrowed his eyes.

“Good evening, Mr. Cornwell,” she said over his shoulder. “How are you?”

Stomach dropping, Rowan turned to see the fourth-richest man in the city standing behind him.

“Oh, I’m doing just fine,” he said genially to Gem. “But it sounds like Mr. Chadha isn’t doing as well. What has he done to need forgiveness?” He was smiling, so Rowan doubted he’d heard any more of the conversation.

“Neglecting to tell me he’d arranged for another date this evening, leaving me without a companion for dinner,” she said with a wide-eyed sincerity that fooled no one.

“Well, it was a bit of a last-minute decision,” Rowan pointed out.

Gem sighed dramatically, then shifted into hostess mode. “Louis Cornwell, have you had the pleasure of meeting Jordy Shaw? He plays for the Shield.”

Jordy held out a hand to shake and Louis, whose name Rowan would forget before this destined-to-be-interminable conversation ended, took it. Either he wasn’t jealous of Jordy’s date or he was too wise to try to use the shake as a power move against a pro athlete, because it looked normal enough.

“I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure, but I think you’re a favorite of my granddaughters. Defense, right?”

“Yes, sir.”

“You must get dragged to these sorts of things often.”

Jordy shrugged. “I wouldn’t say dragged is the right word. If I can help kids just by being here, I’m happy to do it.” Then, in a move that earned him all the fake boyfriend brownie points, he turned his gaze to Rowan and added, “Besides, how could I say no?”

“How indeed?” Louis said. There seemed to be a smile hovering at the edges of his mouth and eyes. Maybe Rowan just reminded him of a grandson after all.

Gem excused herself to greet more people, and Louis turned to Rowan, his rich-old-man charm dialed up to eleven.

“Indulge an old man and tell me how you two met. I feel there must be a story in there.”

It was a good one too—too bad they couldn’t tell Louis.

Rowan’s thoughts whirled as he wondered what story to spin.

“We met when I took my daughter to the library.” Jordy shrugged like that was the end of it.

Yeah, no. That would not do. Jordy might not have a sense of drama and flair, but Rowan was much too gay to let that stand.

“I was hopelessly charmed by their adorable father-daughter act. Not to mention Jordy’s many fine attributes.” Rowan gave Jordy an over-the-top leer. It was always best to keep a lie close to the truth.

“Of course,” Louis agreed, obviously amused.

“And our story might have continued as a lot of pining and sighing and longing looks—at least on my part—if not for Jordy’s quick reflexes.” Jordy was watching Rowan with raised eyebrows, clearly wondering where this was going.

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